Tochoji Temple / Fukuoka Great Buddha

Tochoji / the Fukuoka Great Buddha refers to Tochoji Temple in Hakata Ward, Fukuoka City, and the Fukuoka Great Buddha enshrined there. The temple is famous as the first temple said to have been founded in Japan by Kukai (Kobo Daishi), and it is also the first pilgrimage site of the Kyushu 88 Temple Pilgrimage. The grounds include the main hall, a hexagonal hall, the Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall), and a five-story pagoda; the Fukuoka Great Buddha is housed in the Daibutsuden. Completed in 1992, the Fukuoka Great Buddha has become a popular Fukuoka sightseeing spot. It is an imposing wooden seated statue measuring 10.8 meters tall and weighing 30 tons—one of the largest wooden seated Buddha statues in Japan. The posture with hands placed together on the lap is known as the “Hokkai-join” (Dhyana mudra). Tochoji is also known for its “Hell & Paradise tour,” which is popular alongside the Buddha. There is a legend that if you find the Buddha’s ring in the darkness, you can go to paradise. Even if you can’t find it, the exit is filled with light and paradise-like imagery, suggesting paradise to everyone. Other highlights include the five-story pagoda, the hexagonal hall, and a Thousand-Armed Kannon statue, among many others. Access is about a 10-minute walk from Hakata Station.